She Treads Softly: The Singularities

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

The Singularities

The Singularities by John Banville
10/25/22; 320 pages
Knopf Doubleday

The Singularities by John Banville is a recommended multilayered literary novel from a revered wordsmith. This one is for those who love literary writing by a true wordsmith.

A murderer recently released from prison, now calls himself Felix Mordaunt. He returns to returns to his childhood home, Arden House, where the descendants of Adam Godley, a legendary scientist, currently lives. Mordaunt becomes a part of the household working as a driver and servant. Soon another stranger joins the household with his own agenda. As the two compete for favor, they uncover each other's secrets. The narrative continues to move from one point of view to another. Characters from previous novels are revisited, alternative universes are explored, and the normal boundaries are gone.

Readers can expect beautiful, intelligent writing with clear literary references. Let me be clear, the writing, the careful crafting of sentences, is the draw, the allure of The Singularities for me. The atmospheric (and often scattered) story is one of redemption, nostalgia, life, death, and quantum theory. It is obvious that there is no clear plot in sight. The novel started out promising and then went downhill fast until it was simply the well crafted sentences and descriptions that held my attention. I'm sorry, but I need some plot.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Knopf Doubleday via NetGalley.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.